ENSREG newsletter

Statement from Mr Andrej Stritar, Chairperson of ENSREG - 13 May 2011

Statement from Mr Andrej Stritar, Chairperson of ENSREG,following the 15th Group’s meeting of 12-13 May 2011

After two days of detailed discussions concerning the content and modalities of the comprehensive risk and safety assessments of the EU nuclear power plants ('stress tests'), ENSREG has reached a point where there is a fair degree of agreement among almost all Members of ENSREG and the European Commission on the substance while some Members and the European Commission still have to scrutinize the text.

In broad terms, ENSREG agreed that this assessment will cover extraordinary triggering events like earthquakes and floods and the consequences of any other initiating events (e.g. transport accidents, such as airplane crashes) potentially leading to multiple loss of safety functions requiring severe accident management. ENSREG also proposed to establish a process in order to address risks due to security threats which are not part of ENSREG's mandate.

I remain confident that ENSREG will reach the consensus in the next few days. Given the amount of work and energy we have put into this, I hope all Members will be able to confirm the text resulting from our meeting.This would allow us to report positively to the coming Council on the 10 June and for the work on 'stress tests' in Member States to start without further delay.